


i'll see you there

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Eventual James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, F/M, Hogwarts, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:53:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25619926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: James and Lily always had an unusual way to say "I love you".
Relationships: Harry Potter & James Potter & Lily Evans Potter, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black & James Potter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	i'll see you there

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea at 1am last night and this is the result. Happy reading!
> 
> tw// bullying, mentions of war, implied character death

_Hogwarts, 1973- May._

James chased after Sirius, the two boys laughing as they dodged in between clusters of fifth years. Though he barged into several of them, James took no notice of their protests and grumblings, instead running faster in an attempt to lose Remus, who was hot on his heels.

“Come on, you lot!” Sirius shouted, looking over his shoulder as he ran, “All the best spots’ll be taken if we don’t get there quick.”

“I don’t think it’s worth it,” Remus said with a wheeze. James just laughed.

The four of them had just left Potions and were desperate to find a shady spot under a tree where they could enjoy the last of the waning afternoon sun. Peter had been lost somewhere on the staircases; he always had trouble with them. James had wanted to wait for him, but Sirius pulled him forward. Peter would catch up.

Remus passed James and let out a victorious huff of breath, throwing his friend a grin. Readying himself to charge ahead and at least get there second, James dodged around a group of Slytherin girls, before stopping dead in his tracks.

Lily Evans.

She stood by the doors of the Entrance Hall, chatting earnestly to Severus Snape of all people. James couldn’t contain his scowl at the sight of the boy. But still he strode over to the pair.

“Evans. Snivellus,” James nodded at both of them in greeting. Snape’s face darkened as he lay eyes on him; Lily’s wasn’t much friendlier.

“What do you want?” She asked, her tone clipped but polite.

“Just a chat,” James grinned, knocking a book out of Snape’s hand. The boy scowled as he bent to pick it up. Lily sighed heavily. “ _Fine_ , if you must know, I wanted to ask you a question.”

“Stop asking her to Hogsmeade, you creep,” Snape said, his voice dripping with poisonous contempt.

“First, Snivellus, I haven’t asked her before. And second, I wasn’t talking to you so keep your beak out,” James flashed Snape a smirk and turned to Lily, “Anyway, fallen in love with me yet, Evans?”

Snape scoffed whilst Lily flushed a bright red. James couldn’t quite tell if it was out of anger or embarrassment.

“In your dreams, Potter,” She said, narrowing her eyes. Anger, then. James tried not to let his disappointment show.

He winked at her instead, “I’ll see you there, then.”

\------

_Hogwarts, 1975- June._

Holding his wand aloft, James muttered a spell under his breath, laughing along with Sirius as they watched Snape’s homework fly out of his hand. It wasn’t a particularly windy day, and Severus always had a sixth sense when it came to the Marauders’ misadventures, so it was no surprise when he glared at them from across the front lawn.

“What have you done now?” Remus sighed, looking up from his Transfiguration book and spotting Snape’s hard stare.

“Helping him actually, Moony.” Sirius said with a smirk, “He always keeps his things too neat. It’s good for him to have a bit of chaos in his life from time to time.”

“Reckon he gets enough of that with you two.”

“Not enough, I think.” Peter said, studying Snape with amusement.

James stood up, “You know what, Wormtail? I think you’re on to something.” Peter beamed at that.

“James, I really don’t think-”

“Oh, come on, Moony, you don’t like him either. Besides, it’s like Sirius said, we’re helping him.”

Pulling Peter to his feet, Sirius standing at his side, James turned away from Remus, only to find his clear path to Snape blocked. By Lily.

She stood in front of the trio, arms crossed and her hair as bright as fire where the sun caught it, “You’re not helping anyone with these stupid games, James Potter.”

“Lily.” James found himself dumbfounded by her for a moment, before Sirius jabbed him gently in the ribs with his elbow.

“Don’t you look at me like that. Just leave him alone, alright?”

Sirius scoffed, “Why should we? He’s a nuisance.”

“A nuisance?” Lily rounded on Sirius, “What has he ever done to you?”

“It’s not what he’s done to us that’s the problem. You’ve seen who his new friends are.”

Lily’s eyes assumed a frosty look that James knew wasn’t entirely aimed at Sirius. _Snape and the Death Eaters_. Even someone as altruistic as Lily Evans couldn’t justify his recent choices- and actions.

“Well… it’s not your business, anyway. It doesn’t give you the right to throw your weight around and bully him,” Lily paused, glancing from James to where Snape was sitting. “Just leave him alone.”

She exhaled heavily and turned away from them, joining a gaggle of her friends who were walking back up to the castle.

Not entirely meaning to, James called after her, “Fallen in love with me yet, Evans?”

Lily paused for a moment, and turned slightly towards him, “In your dreams, Potter.” Even from his distance, he could see a change in her eyes, as if they softened when they saw him. Only a slight change, mind you, but to James, it felt like progress.

“I’ll see you there, then.”

\-------

_ Hogwarts, 1977- September  _

“Headmaster, with all due respect, James Potter is a complete buffoon. You can’t make him Head Boy.”

There was a twinkle in Albus Dumbledore’s eyes as he responded, “Miss Evans, with all due respect, Mr Potter may be a buffoon,” The corner of his mouth gave a slight quirk at that, “But I believe you two would make an excellent team.”

There was a loud knock on the office’s heavy, wooden door, “Speaking of which… come in!” James walked in and threw himself gracelessly into the armchair next to Lily’s, an impish grin on his face as his eyes met hers. She gave him a polite smile in return; one that contained more warmth than either of them were expecting.

“Morning, Headmaster,” James said, forcing himself to take his gaze off Lily.

Dumbledore tried hard not to chuckle. _Teenagers and their terribly unsubtle flirting._ “A wonderful morning to you too, Mr Potter. And as I was just telling Miss Evans, Professor McGonagall and I chose you two to be our Head Boy and Girl because we believe you will be a magnificent team.”

“Minn- Professor McGonagall was involved?” James asked, hoping his slip-up went unnoticed (and therefore, unpunished). But judging by Dumbledore’s amused smile, it did not.

“Yes, as your Head of House, Professor McGonagall was the one to nominate you both.”

_Good old Minnie_ , James thought. Whilst being Head Boy wasn’t exactly thrilling to him, he concluded that it would definitely have its benefits, especially with Lily as Head Girl. James made a mental note to hug McGonagall next time he saw her, or at least attempt to. After all, she had given Sirius a detention last time he'd tried.

James chuckled inwardly at the memory and studied the curious décor of the Headmaster’s office, zoning out for the rest of Dumbledore’s duties-and-responsibilities speech. He even missed the looks Lily kept giving him. They were mostly full of exasperation, as was customary, but also a fair share of fondness. A fondness that hadn’t been there before and would have surprised her as much as delighted him, if either of them had been aware of it. Lily nudged James gently with her elbow, bringing his focus back to Dumbledore as he finished speaking and smiled brightly at them both.

“Well, that will be all. Miss Evans,” Dumbledore held his hand to Lily, who shook it firmly, “Mr Potter,” He shook James’s hand, eyes twinkling with mischievous purpose, “I hope to see you two working well as a team and upholding our school’s good name.”

He dismissed the two of them with a wave of his hand. James hurried ahead of Lily and held the office door open for her. She mumbled a thank you, pulling the books in her hands closer to her chest. They walked side by side through the corridors, with James trying very hard not to walk too close to her.

“D’you reckon he’s right then?” James piped up as they neared Gryffindor Tower. Lily shot him a sideways glance.

“About what?”

He gently nudged her shoulder with his, “About us being a magnificent team.”

Lily scoffed as they arrived outside the portrait hole, saying the password in an off-hand tone. They stepped through into the common room in sync.

A smirk played on James’s lips, “What’s up? Fallen in love with me, Evans?”

Glancing at him over her shoulder, Lily headed towards the girl’s dorms and called back to him, “In your dreams, Potter.”

“I’ll see you there, then.”

“You know, one day,” Remus said from the armchair in the corner, “She’s gonna get sick of you saying that.”

\-------

_Hogwarts, 1977- December_

The only thing better than Hogsmeade in the snow, James decided, was Hogsmeade in the snow with Lily Evans. After finally agreeing to go on a date with him, the two found themselves walking down the busy high street, talking about various shops and both wanting, but not quite daring, to hold the other’s hand.

“Sirius is waving at you,” Lily chuckled, pointing in Zonko’s Joke Shop where the rest of the Marauders were examining a display of Frog Spawn Soap. Sirius pointed at the two of them as they stood outside the shop and winked theatrically at James. Lily laughed harder at that.

“He’s a cocky sod,” James said fondly.

“He’s funny actually,” Lily smiled up at him, “When he wants to be.”

It was James’s turn to chuckle then, “Fancy a Butterbeer?”

“Thought you’d never ask,” Lily said, rubbing her gloved hands over her arms. They crossed the street to the Three Broomsticks and James held the door to the little pub open for her. They seated themselves in a booth by a window, both ordering a Butterbeer as the waitress appeared at their table side seemingly out of nowhere.

“It’s weird, you know,” Lily said, as the waitress returned with their drinks, “I’ve been to Hogsmeade so many times but it always seems brand new and exciting,” She paused, looking down into the honey-coloured liquid in her beaker, “Suppose it’s a Muggle-born thing.”

“Not necessarily,” James said, his voice unusually quiet.

Lily regarded him for a moment, “You don’t think it’s silly? For me to be so amazed by magic after all this time?”

“Of course not. I grew up with it and there's loads I still don’t know or haven’t gotten used to,” James met her gaze and held it for a moment, before she looked away.

“You’re not ashamed of being Muggle-born, are you, Evans?”

She gave a soft sigh, “I never used to be but some people… reckon that I should.”

_Some people_ … Snape was James’s first thought, but he knew better than to say anything about him, “Well, I don’t think you should be. I just think whether or not you can use magic, well, we’re all human, aren’t we? And what does it matter who your parents are?”

Lily met his gaze once more, and after a moment, said, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being one of the few people who aren't afraid to think that way,” Lily took a sip of her Butterbeer to hide the smile that crept onto her face. When she lowered her beaker, James chuckled.

“What?”

“You’ve got Butterbeer…” James pointed to his upper lip. Lily touched it with one finger, flushing a rosy pink. He handed her a napkin and smiled.

“No worries, Evans. Happens to the best of us.” He flashed Lily a cheeky grin, and she blushed even more.

James sat back in his seat, studying her with interest, “Now, would you look at that.” Lily raised an eyebrow at him, “You’re blushing. Could only really mean one thing, hey? Fallen in love with me, Evans?”

She threw her head back with laughter, “In your dreams, Potter.”

James leaned in closer, hands under his chin, “I’ll see you there then.”

\------

_Devon, 1979- August_

A song played softly as James and Lily slow danced on the tiled dance floor. They were wrapped up in each other, physically and mentally, as they had been all day and night. The wedding day had finally arrived, a well-overdue respite from the still-raging war, and after the main ceremony, followed by dinner and a tearful best man speech from Sirius, it was time for their first dance.

Lily lifted her head from where she had buried it in James’s shoulder and looked into his eyes, finding them bursting full of love and adoration, all for her. And in her bright, grass-green eyes, James found the same. He bent his head slightly, his lips finding hers. Lily’s hands reached up to his neck, her fingers playing with the stray hairs that no amount of brushing could contain. James’s hands found her waist, and he held her to him gently.

He broke off the kiss, and looked into Lily’s eyes once more, “Fallen in love with me yet, Evans?”

She smiled up at him softly, “In your dreams, Potter.”

“I’ll see you there then.”

His lips met hers halfway, and they drank in each other in.

\------

_Godric’s Hollow, 1981- October_

Something in the air felt different that night. It was almost electric and spat with hostility and warning. Although neither of them said anything, not wanting to admit it to themselves or to each other, they both knew it was to happen that night. The thing they’d all been dreading.

Lily tiptoed into Harry’s nursery after telling James she was going to bed. She sat down by his cot, caressing her son’s chubby cheeks, reassuring him of her love for him, and of James’s. She would not, could not, let anything happen to him. She’d die before she did. Harry regarded her with wide and innocent eyes, smiling brightly at her despite the chilling undertone of her words. He didn’t understand. He was too young.

All three of them were.

Lily leant her head against the bars of Harry’s cot, fighting back the hot tears in her eyes. Then she heard it. A loud bang, wood against metal. Silence, and then-

“Lily! Take Harry and go! It’s him, he’s here.”

She rushed out onto the landing, finding James at the top of the staircase. Their eyes met. She saw the tears in his.

James looked at the floor, smiled weakly and, glancing back up at Lily, said, “Have you fallen in love with me yet, Evans?”

Lily made a noise, a half laugh, half sob. She knew this was goodbye, “In your dreams, Potter.” He smiled again, and gave her a slight nod.

She turned back into the nursery and grabbed Harry from his cot, hugging him tight to her chest, her mind racing.

A sickening thud reverberated through the quiet house. And then, hung in the air, almost tangible, were the last words James Potter never said.

_I’ll see you there._

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed it :)


End file.
